Internal-combustion engine



Nov. 11, 1930. E. E. WICKERSHAM INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aufir/m us 7 R o m 2 N n n m 06 N I ELMEF? E. W/c/{ERSA/AM.

Patented Nov. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL-COMBUSTIONENGINE Application filed August 8, 1928. Serial No. 298,323.

The present invention relates to improvements in internal combustionengines, and its principal object is to provide certain'structuralimprovements increasing the efficiency of the engine, making the samemore compact and giving easy access to the parts there- 'of which areapt to need repairing.

It is particularly proposed to present a novel driving means between thereciproeating piston and the drive shaft which allows the cylinders tobe arranged in pairs and each pair of pistons to become active on anindividual crank shaft which is disposed transversely relative to thecrank case and which may be easily inspected through holes in the sideof the crank case, all the transverse crank shafts cooperating indriving a longitudinally-arranged main or drive shaft.

It is further proposed in the present invention to provide avalve-operating mechanism which allows the main or drive shaft to beutilized as a'eam shaft for operating the valves.

Further objects and advantages of my in-' vention will appear as thespecification proceeds.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which Figure 1 shows a side view of my internal combustionengine; and

Figure 2, a transverse section taken along line 22 of Figure 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish tohave it understood that various changes or modifications may be madewithin the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

In its preferred form, my engine comprises a plurallty of pairs ofcylinders 1, the cylinders of each pair being arranged in spaced andparallel relation and the pairs being preferably arranged inlongitudinal alignment. Each cylinder has a piston 2 reciproeatingtherein.

A crank shaft 3 is provided for each pair of cylinders and is mounted inthe housing 4 between the two cylinders, so that the cranks 6 of thecrank shaft, which are disposed at the ends thereof, may be'convenientlyconnected to the connecting rods 7 of the pistons by means of crank pins8. Each crank 6 is counterbalanced by means of a weight 9 diametricallyopposite the same.

-The crank shaft 3 has mounted thereon a Worm 11, which latter engageswith a worm gear 12 on the main or drive shaft 13 which extendslongitudinally through the crank case 4 and which is in drivingconnection with all the crank shafts.

The cylinders may be constructed in any suitable manner and are formedwith intake valves 14 and exhaust valves 16, thevalve rods 17 extendingthrough the crank case toward the main drive shaft 13 so as to ride oncams 18 provided on this shaft, and the manifolds being arranged betweenthe cylinders.

The crank case is formed with apertures 19 opposite the ends of thecrank shafts, and these apertures may be closed by means of removableplates 21. The apertures are of sufficient size to allow of free accessto the crank shafts and particularly to allow the crank pin and itsbearing to be inspectedv and removed for repair.

It will be seen that this arrangement offers decided advantages in sofar as the crank '80 pin bearings are easily accessible. It furthermoreallows the entire device to be made very compact and narrow, allowingany number of units or pairs to be used in a comparatively small space.

The engine is particularly adapted for marine work and provides a slowspeed power shaft which at the same time serves as a cam shaft foroperating the valves. Each pair of cranks is properly balanced. 90

I claim:

1. An engine comprising a pair of parallel cylinders having valvechambers polnting toward one another and intake and exhaust manifoldspassing therebetween, pistons reciprocable in the cylinders, a crankshaft in the plane of the cylinders, connect ng rods for the pistonsengaged with opposite ends of the crank shaft, 2. drive shaft arrangedtransversely to the crank shaft, 8. driving connection between the twoshafts, valves in the chambers and a direct driving connection betweenthe drive shaft and the valves.

2. An engine comprising an aligned series of pairs of cylinders, thecylinders of each pair having valve chambers pointing toward one anotherand intake and exhaust manifolds passing therebetween,pistonsreciprocable in the cylinders, a crank shaft for each pair ofcylinders, connecting rods for the pistons engaged with opposite ends ofthe crank shafts, a drive shaft arranged transversely of all-the crankshafts, a driving connection between each crank shaft and the driveshaft, valves in each chamber and a direct driving connection betweenthe drive shaft and the valves.

3. An engine comprising a pair of parallel cylinders having valvechambers pointing toward one another and intake and exhaust manifoldspassing therebetween, pistons reciprocable in the cylinders, a driveshaft arranged transversely to the plane of the cylinders, a drivingconnection between the pistons and the drive shaft, valves in thechambers, and. a direct driving connection between the drive shaft andthe valves.

4. An engine comprising a pair of parallelcylinders having valvechambers and intake andexhaust manifolds passing therebetween, pistonsreciprocable in the cylinders, a drive shaft arranged transversely tothe plane of ill}? cylinders, a driving connection between t e pistonsand the drive shaft, valves in the chambers, and a direct drivingconnection between the drive shaft and the valves.

5. An engine comprising a pair of parallel cylinders having valvechambers and pistons reciprocable therein, a drive shaft arrangedtransversely to the plane of the cylinders, a driving the drive shaft,valves in the chambers, and a direct driving connection between thedrive shaft and the valves.

ELMER E. WICKERSHAM.

connection between the pistons and

